Governor Issues Order To Help With Storm Damage

O'Malley has signed an executive order that will help the state to prepare for climate change and extreme weather conditions. (AP Photo)

Zoe Johnson, who is the program manager for climate change for DNR, told WBALÆs Robert Lang that this order will only apply to new state buildings, not private construction. Download This File

Governor OÆMalley has issued an Executive Order that O'Malley says is aimed at minimizing potential flood damage

that can come from climate change or extreme weather conditions.

The Climate Change and Coast Smart Construction Executive Order is aimed at increasing Maryland's long-term resiliency to storm-related flooding and sea level rise.

Zoe Johnson, who is the program manager for climate change for the Department of Natural Resources, told WBAL that this order will direct how the state is going to build its structures within areas that are vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal flooding. The order only applies to state buildings, not private construction.

ôAll private construction is administrated at the local level through local land use and thatÆs done by local governments in Maryland," she said. "In terms of state structure and state investments. this executive order is directing that we need to take climate change and sea level rise into consideration into how and where we build. It applies to new construction, but it also applies to structures that may be substantially damaged from a storm or coastal flood event."

A number of new policy orders come from the initiative.

The Governor's Office says every state agency will now have to consider the risk of coastal flooding and sea level rise when they design capital budget projects. Additionally, state officials will also update guidelines to require new and rebuilt state structures to be at least two feet higher than the 100-year flood level.

To help state officials execute the order, O'Malley has directed the Scientific and Technical Working Group of the Maryland Commission on Climate Change to provide updated sea level projections.

Governor O'Malley has also ordered the Department of Natural Resources' CoastSmart Communities Program to continue to provide on-the-ground sea level rise planning expertise, training, and technical mapping tools to help local governments.

The Governor launched the program in April 2009 to help prepare communities for anticipated impacts of climate change.